A classic song says that “waiting is the hardest part.” Sarah probably felt like that as the years slipped by and God’s promise remained unfulfilled. But Sarah learned the value of waiting on God. She is one of several biblical characters highlighted in the book, Kingdom Heroes, by bestselling author, Dr. Tony Evans. He can show you how to be a kingdom hero, too!
The Urban Alternative (Tony Evans)
Day 1
Scriptures: Galatians 6:9, Jeremiah 29:11
“As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her” (Genesis 17:15-16).
Now, the promise of a son doesn’t seem like a big deal unless you take into account the potential parents’ ages. By then, both Sarah and Abraham were advanced in years (Sarah was 90), neither of them still in the normal childbearing years. So this promise from God simply didn’t fit the facts of their lives. What He’d promised wasn’t practical. Not only was Sarah old, but she’d also been barren her entire life. She’d never conceived or given birth to a child. Her physical capacity to do so was absent, and time was no longer on her side.
It’s possible that Sarah’s story resembles your own but in a different way. You could be barren in other forms. Your capacity to experience what God has for you just doesn’t seem to be there. It’s not working out. You’re not producing what you thought you would be at this stage in your life. You’re not delivering on the destiny you believed to be yours. You’ve heard Jesus’ promise in John 10:10, when He declared, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” But you don’t see the results of that promise in your everyday life.
If that’s you, you may be stuck in emotions of disappointment, despair, and hopelessness. But, like Sarah, if you are patient, you will receive God’s promise.
What promise are you holding onto that requires patience?
Day 2
Scriptures: Psalms 37:7-9, Hebrews 11:13-16
Why does God sometimes put us in a situation that seems hopeless? God does this so that when He does what He wants to do, only He gets the glory. He may not change your scenario or your struggle until He sees you are waiting well within it. To wait well as a kingdom hero is to not go outside of God’s prescribed ways in order to bring something about. It also means waiting with hope and expectation, not sarcastic doubt. The first time we saw Sarah laughing, she was mocking the promise God had given her (Genesis 18:12). But the second time she laughed; it was out of awe at God’s ability to pull off the impossible (Genesis 21:6).
Sometimes God puts your back up against the wall—not to be mean but to let you see He is truly God. Sarah had to grow and mature to the point of waiting well. She made mistakes along the way. We all do. But the good news is that even if you’ve made mistakes, and even if you have your own set of Ishmaels running around as a result, it’s never too late for God to intervene. Sarah had made a mess of things. Then to make matters worse, Abraham had gone and lied—making even more of a mess of things. Yet once they both witnessed God’s power to both close and open wombs, they discovered just who they were dealing with.
What has been the result when you have tried to manipulate the situation to try to fulfill God’s promise? What has been the result when you have patiently waited upon Him?
Day 3
Scriptures: 2 Peter 3:8-9, Ecclesiastes 3:1
As you’ve grown older, I realize some of you may have had the thought cross your mind that you’re wasting your life. But I want to remind you that when God comes through for us with His blessings, like He did for Sarah, He can also give us the years to enjoy them. Nothing is too hard for God.
Some of you may be midway through life, having invested most of your adult years in caring for a family, yet feel you still have personal dreams deep within. But you believe it’s too late for those dreams. You may believe it’s too late to enter a career field of your hopes and make something of it. Maybe you look at your résumé and wonder how you could ever attain the career you desire.
If you’re wondering if it’s too late, I want to assure you that when God is in the equation and you learn the skill of waiting well—waiting in faith with a heart of hope, surrender, and honor—God can not only bring about your promises and your dreams but also bring them suddenly. You don’t have to climb a career ladder when God is involved. He can usher you straight into where you’re supposed to be if you’ll look to Him to do it according to His will and His ways. He will do this if you look to Him in faith.
Are you willing to trust God to fulfill His promises even when they are delayed in arriving?